Temperature-regulating device.



PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904.

v HUNTER. TEMPERATURE RBGULATING DEVICE.

APPLIGATIOH FILED MAR. l, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

N0 MODEL.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIII'I'III'III'IJ Illll;

No. 776,783. PATENT'ED DEC. 6, 1904.

E. H. HUNTER.

TEMPERATURE REGULATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATIOR FILED MAB. 1, 1904.

- N0 M0DEL. 3SHEE'I'8BHBET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

No 776,783. PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904. E. H. HUNTER. TEMPERATURE REGULATING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION TILED MAR. 1, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 3 BHEETB-EJHEBT 3.

WiTNESSES: I INVENTOR: W I m- N0. 776,783. Patented December 6, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ERNEST'HOVVARD HUNTER, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENN SYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WARREN WEBSTER AND COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TEMPERATURE-HEGULAI'ING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 776,783, dated December 6, 1904.

Application filed March 1, 1904:. ,Serial No. 196,0'7. (No model.)

TO whflm it U l in when the thermostatically-controlled valve Be it known that I, ERNEST HOWARD HUN- in the suction-pipe is open, and consequently TER, of the city and county oi Philadelphia, the pressure-motor will at such times operate State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Imto close the valve or damper. When the ther- 5 provement in Temperature-Regulating Demostatically controlled valve is closed, the vices, of which the following is a specification. suction on the motor-chamber ceases, and the In mosttemperature-regulatingdevicesnow air enteringthe small air-inlet permits the 55 employed in heating apparatus in which the pressnre-motor to return to normal position regulation is effected by the opening and closand open the controlling-vi'tlve.

1o ing of valves or dampers through the opera- In previous systems in which the use of suction of a pressure-motor the motor-actuating tion has been suggested to operate the prespower, whether it be compressed air or sucsure-motor the suction-pipehas been provided 60 tion, is obtained from a source otherwise inwith a thermostaticallycontrolled air-vent, dependent of the heating system. which was closed at the predetermined tem- It is one of the objects oi my invention to perature to seal the pipe and enable the sucutilize for the purpose of operating the valvetion to extend into the motor-chamber. Such controlling pressure-motor the power which devices are, however, objectionable and, so far 5 is naturally present in and inherent to the as I am aware, have never been commercially heating system, thus dispensing entirely with adopted, because the air-vent into the suction- 2o auxiliary air compressors or exhausting depipe is constantly open except at those invices. tervals when the thermostat closes it, and if My invention is applied particularly to those the suction-pipe were a branch of the return 7 0 systems of steam-heating in which a partial there would be such a loss of vacuum, parvacuum or lower pressure is maintained in the ticularly in a large plant having a great numreturn-pipes by means of a pump or other ber of radiators, as would seriously affect the suitable exhausting devices to draw out the operation of suction in removing the air and air and water of condensation from the radiwater of condensation. This difficulty does 75 ators and heaters, and I utilize this partial not exist in my regulating devices, becausethe vacuum or lower pressure in the returns as air-inlet to the pressure-motor is constantly the means for actuating the valve-controlling open and is independent of the thermostat pressure-motor under thermostatic control. which controls the branch suctionpipe and In carrying out my invention I connect the communicates with the suction-pipe only at 30 pressure-motor chamber with the return-pipe those intervals when the suction-controlling by a' branch having a thermostatically-convalve is open. The small loss of suction that trolled valve which operates to open commumay result in the return at such times is too nication through the branch and allow the suc insignificant to atleot the removal of the air tion or lower pressure to extend into the moand water from the radiators. 5 tor chamber when the temperature of the My temperature-regulating devices may be apartment rises above the normal or the temapplied to the control of either the steam-sup 40 perature at which the thermostat has been set ply valve or the return-valve for the water of to act. The motor-chamber is provided with condensation, as is more fully set forth hereinan air-inlet wholly independent of the therafter. 9 mostatically -controlled valve in the branch In tlie drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation suction or low-pressure pipe, through which of a steam-radiator having my temperatureair may pass at all times into the motor-chamregulating devices applied to the supply-valve.

ber; but the area of this inlet is made so much Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the supsmaller than the area of the suction-pipe that ply valve and a thermostatically-controlled. air will be exhausted faster than it can flow electric valve for controlling it. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of another form of thermostatically-controlled valve for controlling the supply-valve. Fig. i is a side elevation of a steam-radiator having a modified form of my temperature-regulating devices applied to it. Fig. '5 is a horizontal section on the line A A of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a radiator, showing the temperature-regulating devices applied to the returnvalve. Fig. 7 shows the regulating devices applied to a one-pipe system having a suctionpipe leading from the air-valve.

Referring first to the control of the steamsupply, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, a is any suitable radiator, coil, or heater to which the steam is supplied from the usual supply-pipe 7) and from which the air and waterof condensation are returned by the usual return-pipe 0, in which a partial vacuum or lower pressure is maintained by suitable exhausting devices. The usual hand-valve (Z controls the steamsupply, and an automatic valve 6 may be placed in the outlet to the return 0 to control the escape of the air and water of condensation under the influence of the suction or lower pressure in the return. This system of steam heating is the well-known lVebster system. Intel-posed in the supply connection 6 to the radiator is a valve f, controlled by any suitable pressure-motor g. In the drawings I have shown an ordinary valve'casing h with the thoroughfare 2' controlled by a valvepiece j, having its stem Z: extending through a suitable stufiing-box in the bonnet 19 and connected with a piston m in a motor-chamber 12, having a frame 0 screwed upon the bonnet p. The upper part of the motor-casing above the piston isopen to the atmosphere, and the lower part below the piston is provided with a small air-inlet g, which may be controlled by a small pin or screw 7'. s is a spring acting on, the piston m and holding it normally elevated with the valve f open. The particular construction of the valve f and pressure-motor g is, however, wholly immaterial to my invention, provided the motor be one which normally holds the valvef' open, and the motorchamber is provided on the suction or low-pressure side with a small air-inletq. 2/ is abranch pipe from the return-pipe c to the lower or suction side of the motor-chamber, in which is located a thermostatically-controlled valve a to open or close communication with the pressure-motor under thermostatic control. This thermostatically-controlled valve is so adjusted that while the temperature of the room is at or below normal or below the temperature 2? and its valve passage-way and inlet to the pressure-motor is greater than that of the airinlet 9, so that when the thermostatically-controlled valve is open the suction or lower pressure in the pipe 6 will exhaust the air from the pressure-motor chamber faster than it can enter through the inlet q. Consequently as the upper side of the motor is acted upon by the atmosphere this suction or lower pressure will enable the atmospheric pressure to operate the motor against the action of the spring 5 to close the valve f and shut off the supply of steam, and the valve will remain closed until the normal temperature is restored and the thermostatically-controlled valve u is operated to close the branch suction-pipe t. \Vhen this valve is closed and the suction of the air from the motor-chamber ceases, the air entering through the inlet q will restore the atmospheric pressure and allow the spring 5- to open the supply-valve f.

Any suitable valve may be used to control the branch suction-pipe 25, and any of the wellknown thermostatic devices may be used to operate that valve. For example, in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown the well-known thermostatically-controlled electric valve. in-which the valve 24 is operated by a solenoid a through an electric circuit closed by a bimetallic thermostat 0. In Fig. 3 I have shown a directacting thermostat consisting of two pieces (Z' a, composed of materials of different coefiicients of expansion connected together at their outer ends and secured, respectively, at their other ends to the valve-piece and valve-casing. Such devices are well known and require no detailed description. In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the preferred arrangement of a directacting thermostat of the character shown in Fig. 3 to wit, horizontally below the base of the radiator, as the temperature at that point is approximately the average room temperature and the thermostat when placed in this position is practically concealed from view. The direct-acting thermostatic device may, however, be applied adjacent to the pressurernotor, as shown in Fig. 7, which illustrates the temperature-regulating devices applied to a one-pipe system having asuction returnpipe 0 leading from the air-valve 5 from which the branch suction-pipe 25 leads to the motor-chamber of the fluid pressure motor, as in arrangements shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5.

It will be noted that the regulating supplyvalve f is normally open and that the radiator may be at all times under ordinary hand control through the valve (Z. The steam may be turned on or ofl in the usual manner, and if for any reason the thermostat is out of order that will not affect the ordinary circulation through the radiator or lower the suction in the return-pipe. The temperature-regulating devices may also be applied to the return-valve to close the outlet from the radiator or heater when the temperature of the room reaches the IIO degree at which the thermostat is set to operate. In such cases the steam-supply is conneeted with the heater at the top, and in the case of a radiator the sections are connected at the top like an ordinary hot-water radiator. The closing of the return-valve then acts to prevent the escape of condensation and water-logs the radiator or heater to a greater or less extent until the tempera ture of the room is reduced to the normal. This construction is illustrated in Fig. 6, in which the supply-pipe 7), controlled by any suitable valve cl, supplies the heater or radiator a at the top. The 1Gl3IlI11-VELl"G c in this case is controlled byapressure-motor g, having the suetion-chamber connected by the branch suction-pipe t with the return 0, in which is located the thermostatically -controlled valve 14, the suction-chamber of the pressure-motor being provided with the same restricted air-inlet q. The operation of the thermostatic controlling devices in this case is exactly the same as has been described; but they operate the return-valve instead of the supply-valve and control the effective temperature of the radiator by water-logging it instead of by shutting off the steam-supply. In Fig. 6 I have shown forp'urposes of illustration the thermostatieally-controlled electric valve for opening and closing the branch suction-pipe; but it is obvious that any of the thermostatically-controlled valve devices suitable to the control of the supply-valve may be used in connection with the return-valve.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a temperature-controlling apparatus for steam-heating systems, the combination of a radiator having a return-pipe, in which a partial vacuum or lower pressure is maintained, a supply-valve to control the supply of steam to the radiator, a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with said supplyvalve to control the same, a branch suctionpipe leading from the return to the motorchamber of said fluid-pressure motor, a valve in said branch suction-pipe, and a thermostatic device to operate said valvein the branch suction-pipe, said fluid-pressure motor being provided with an open air-inlet into the motor-chamber independent of the valve in the branch suction-pipe and of the thermostatic device which controls it, and having a relatively smaller opening than the thoroughfare through said branch suction-pipe.

2. In a temperature-controlling apparatus for steam-heating systems, the combination of a radiator having a return-pipe, in which a partial vacuum or lower pressure is maintained, a hand-valve to positively control the supply of steam to the radiator, a normally open automatic supply-valve between the hand-valve and radiator, a fluid-motor operatively connected with said automatic supplyvalve, a branch suction-pipe leading from the return to the motor-chamber of the fluidpressure motor, a valve in said branch suction-pipe, and a thermostatic device to operate said valve in the branch suction-pipe, said fluid-pressure motor being provided with an open air-inlet into the motor-chamber independent of the valve in the branch suctionpipe and of the thermostatic device which controls it, and having a relatively smaller opening than the thoroughfare through said branch suction-pipe.

3. In a temperature-controlling apparatus for steam-heating systems, the combination of a controlling-valve connected with the radi ator or heater, a fluid-pressure motor operatively connected with said valve and maintaining it normally open, a pipe connected with said radiator or heater, in which a par tial vacuum or lower pressure is maintained, having a branch leading to the motor-chamber of said fluid-pressure motor, and a thermostatically-controlled valve in said branch, said fluid-pressure motor being provided with an open air-inlet into the motor-chamber independent of the thermostaticallycontrolled valve in the branch and having a relatively smaller opening than the thoroughfare through said branch.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST HOWVARD HUNTER.

\Vitnesses:

R. M. KELLY, M. J. EYRE. 

